A re-release of "Live
And Unreleased -The Radio Show" (see 80s Studio releases), this mainly
studio collection included a
rare fourth live CD (with no DJ chat and interviews on this disc)
featuring The Experience at the LA Forum
26/04/69. - See "Posthumous Live Releases - 90s" for the review.
As said previously, only the tracks in bold are more or less complete.
Pretty well all the songs were re-released in complete form over the
years.

THE COVERThe box is all stacked typo with
luxury gold leaf and the CDs themselves are decked out with a repeated
Golden Gate Park San Francisco 1967 photo again (like on "Radio One").
That photo is out of place on the LA Forum 69 disc - 3/10

Deleted

Collector's corner

This US 10 track promotional sampler CD was distributed to the press and radio stations.

Another box set but this time simply a 4 CD
re-release pack of "Are You Experienced",
"Axis: Bold Of Love", "Electric Ladyland" and "Cry Of Love" (the latter
was soon to be axed from the catalogue in favour of the album Voodoo
Soup (WTF!!?).

Released at the same time was a sister box titled Footlights (see Live albums 90s section).

This three track CD single appeared in
France with an alternate take of "Come On (Part One)" ! It is
not the aborted version that appeared on "Lifelines" but a separate
complete take of the song. It has not reappeared officially since.
That "Star Spangled Banner" is the studio version which first
saw the light of day on "Rainbow Bridge" (the previous year Alan
Douglas had included it on the "Cornerstones" compilation and today it
resides on the MCA 2000 box set).

Deleted

<
This 1970 French (Barclay) single featured "Come On (Part 1)" on the
B-side. It was the same as the Ladyland version but in a slightly
different mix (bass more upfront in parts).

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED -
Remaster 1Hey Joe, Stone Free,
Purple Haze, 51st Anniversary, The Wind Cries Mary, Highway Chile, Foxy
Lady, Manic Depression, Red House (Version 2), Can You See Me (Version
2), Love Or Confusion, I Don't Live Today, May This Be Love, Fire, 3rd
Stone From The Sun, Remember, Are You Experienced.

AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE -
Remaster 1

ELECTRIC LADYLAND -
Remaster 1

Re-release 1993
(Polydor/Reprise)

The
Alan Douglas supervised remastering (done by Joe Gastwirt) of the holy
trinity of Hendrix albums : "Are You Experienced", "Axis: Bold As Love"
and "Electric Ladyland". These had flashy new covers using photos by
Gerard Mankowitz (the original covers were on the back of the booklets)
and they really did freshen up things compared to the first generation
of CD releases (or did they ? See below). The first CD release of
"Ladyland" for example (with the naked ladies cover) had even got the
song sequence wrong ! That was put right here.
As a bonus, "Are You Experienced" opened with the first three British
singles (A & B sides) but Alan Douglas decided to use the American
"Smash Hits" versions of "Red House" and "Can You See Me",
presumably because of they featured a richer sound (thanks to the extra
overdubs by Jimi and Chas). He then put the original UK version of"Red
House" on the following "Blues" compilation where it remains to
this day. A compilation titled "The Ultimate Experience" was released
at the same time (see "Compilations" section).
These releases had superb 24 page booklets, which were not lavishly
illustrated but featured brilliant notes by Michael Fairchild.

When the Hendrix Estate put out
another remastered series (only four years later) on MCA, they claimed
that they had remastered "Axis" and "Ladyland" for the very first time
from the original tapes. It would seem therefore that duplicate tapes
were used for those works in this 1993 series. However, fellow Hendrix
fan Luke informs me that this is unclear. While EH has said this, Joe
Gastwirt (who did the later Reprise and 1993 discs) said the tapes he
used had splices between the songs. EH said their tapes did *not* have
splices between songs. Normally, a first generation master tape will
have splices between every song, as it is in fact a compilation of all
of the individual mixes. That said, it's unclear who is right in this
case. Thanks Luke.

See the re-releases below
for essential information about the different masterings.

Deleted

A second remastering was done for the
1997 MCA re-releases. In 2010, Jimi's first two albums were again
remastered!

THE COVERSThis series of artworks was also
the subject of an exhibition at the time. The covers conveyed very well
the fact that the recordings had been enhanced. On the "Ladyland"
cover, Jimi looks just like how I always imagined him singing "Rainy
Day ...".- 8/10Each volume
featured very informative booklets.

< The three albums plus "The Ultimate Experience" compilation were also sold as a complete boxed package.

This excellent collection of
archive material focuses on Jimi's blues influences. It was put
together by Alan Douglas, with some prevoiusly available songs (see
below) and new discoveries. At the time it was a very welcome release
as we had had nothing new, in terms of studio material, since "Nine To
The Universe" of 1980 ! Today, this is the only Alan Douglas project
that Experence Hendrix have retained in their catalogue since his
departure, being a good indication of its quality and commercial value.

The album features blues
numbers from all periods of Jimi's success. From the Experience epoch,
we have Jimi solo on 12 string acoustic guitar (recorded in a film
studio) as he goes through "Hear My Train A Comin". The original
UK released "Red House" is included here because Douglas had
chosen to include the American "Smash Hits" version of the song on the
otherwise UK track listed "Are You Experienced" re-master (confused ?
You will be !).
The great "Catfish Blues" captures the band on top form during a
Dutch TV appearance. That song evolved into "Voodoo Chile" and
here we get "Voodoo Chile Blues" which was built using outtakes
from the "Electric Ladyland" sessions (Jack Casady on bass and Stevie
Winwood on keyboards). "Electric Church Red House" comes from a
session in October 68 and features the Experience with Lee Michaels on
organ (and Buddy Miles briefly at the intro which Alan Douglas edited
in from another session).

Then there are four tracks with
the Band Of Gypsys line up. The great Elmore James is given hommage on "Bleeding
Heart" and this a straight reading of the song, like on the
February '69 Albert Hall recording ("Experience") and unlike Jimi's
later adaptation of it (as on "South Saturn Delta" and originally "War
Heroes"). The Gypsys later played "Bleeding Heart" during their
Fillmore concerts. The Hendrix composed "Once I Had A Woman" features
a great vocal from Jimi before it climbs into hard rocking finale. "Born
Under A Bad Sign" is an instrumental jam around the Albert King
song (which was popularised by Cream). "Mannish Boy" is composite of
studio jams from April '69 (so only a couple months before The
Experience broke up).

With Cox and Mitchell, we hear
Jimi at full tilt on "Jelly 292"* (in fact an alternate take of
the "Jam 292" seen edited on "Loose Ends and complete on "Hear
My Music" from Dagger in 2004). Finally we have "the most perfectly
formed and satisfying of all Hendrix blues performances" (as it
accurately says in the booklet), the incredible and definitive live
version of "Hear My Train A Comin", from Berkeley Community
Center in May '70 (first show), previously seen on the now deleted
"Rainbow Bridge" album of the 70's. This alone justifies the purchase.
Jimi is just stunning on this one, taking the song through it's
different passages with such assurance and the magnificent drums from
Mitch really underline the degree to which he complimented Jimi's
music. For me, this is perhaps Jimi's finest moment.

"Here My Train Comin'"
(acoustic) previously on "A film about Jimi Hendrix" soundtrack album
(see Live section)
"Here My Train Comin'" (electric) previously on "Rainbow Bridge"
"Red House" previously on the UK "Are You Experienced", and now also on
the current Sony edition
"Electric Church Red House" previously on "Variations On A Theme - Red
House"
"Catfish Blues" previously on "Calling Long Distance" (Univibes, see
end of page).

THE COVERA jewel of a CD package.
Evidently Alan Douglas' favourite photo of Jimi (used previously on
"Crash Landing") melts into a multicoloured collage of blues greats
which continues on the back and on the disc itself. Under the disc Jimi
plays slide with a beer can. Another very informative booklet. - 10/10

Note : Another Hendrix blues compilation was
released in 2003 as part of the "Martin Scorcese Presents The Blues"
series - see "Compilations" section

By this time Alan Douglas got round to 20-bit re-mastering the
Hendrix catalogue, he put out Jimi's first three studio albums (with
new-look covers) and then instead of re-releasing the much anticipated
"Cry Of Love", this new compilation of latter day Hendrix material was
offered. At the time, it was a great disappointment not to see "Cry Of Love"
reappear. The album
does contain many great songs butthe
20-Bit remastering seemed to have stripped away some of the magic of
the original mixes (this reviewer promptly ran out to buy the old CD
edition of "The Cry Of Love" before it disappeared from circulation !).
Dougles had tried to get Eddie Kramer involved in this project but it
didn't happen due to creative differences.

Unfortunately, Douglas reverted to his old overdubbing tricks again. His associate producer Bruce Gary (the drummer with The Knack) plays new drum tracks for "Stepping
Stone" and "Room Full Of Mirrors" *. Also "Message To Love" appears to be the same version as on "Crash Landing", with its annoying overdubbed percussion. However, "Peace In Mississippi"
(which was also on "Crash Landing") this time features the original
Experience tapes and it represented the main attraction of this
unfortunately messy disc.
A new instrumental track was included titled "The New Rising Sun",
but it proved to be of little interest, simply a meandering exploratory
demo by Jimi. Parts of it had already surfaced on "Crash Landing" as part of
the silly collage called "Captain Coconut".
Interestingly, "Angel"
features a very different mix to the one presented previously on "Cry
Of Love". Here, Douglas has Jimi's voice and guitar more up-front and
Mitch's drums and the slushy wave sounds way back in the mix. I always
felt that those wave effects and cymbals were a little over done (by
Mitchell and Kramer after Jimi's demise) so I quite like this sparser
version.
Note that "Midnight" is 30 seconds longer than on "War Heroes"
(and the later released "South Saturn Delta"). On the bootleg "The Capricorn Tape", there
is even an 8 minute "Midnight" but it is unclear if this is a
posthumous montage or the unédited tape.
One final thing that was very annoying here was that Alan Douglas edited out
the nice slow intro to "Pali Gap"
for some strange reason. However the beautiful ending that was way back
in the fade-out on "Rainbow Bridge" is kept at the same level as the
rest of the track.
I don't know what Douglas was doing here on that mixing desk but all
tracks on this collection sound weird. He seems to have decided to play
up Jimi's voice to the detriment of some of the finer details in the
mix. Many little details that you are waiting for are subdued, muffled,
mixed back. Some of the songs sound like rough working mixes because of
this. What
a mess.
It was surprising that Douglas tripped up hear after such a
good run since "Nine To The Universe".

* Douglas
summoned Mitch to re-record drum parts for this collection but
unfortunatly he didn't feel up to it. This is why Bruce Gary added his
drums.

Deleted

Tracks reissued:Belly Button Window, Freedom, Angel, Night Bird
Flying, Drifting, Ezy Ryder, In From The Storm " - First Rays Of The New Rising Sun and Cry Of LoveStepping Stone - First Rays Of The New Rising SunRoom Full Of Mirrors - First Rays Of The New Rising Sun and Rainbow BridgePali Gap - South Saturn Delta and Rainbow BridgeMidnight - South Saturn DeltaMessage To Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience purple box set (without the Douglas overdubs)New Rising Sun - West Coast Seattle BoyPeace In Mississippi - Coupled with Valleys Of Neptune as a CD single (in 2010, without the Douglas overdubs) - then it was included on the purple box re-release.

THE COVER
The best thing about the album was the superb cover (taken from an old
French sleeve for an "Are You Experienced"/"Axis: Bold As Love" double
package -see Alternate Sleeves) by the great comic book artist Jean Giraud alias Mobius. He in fact later teamed
up with the journalist who had photographed Jimi eating, Jean-Noel
Coghe, to publish a lavishly illustrated book about Jimi in the
nineties (see my Bibliography). - 10/10

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED -
Remaster 2Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Red House (Version 1), Can You See Me
(Version 2), Love Or Confusion, I Don't Live Today, May This Be Love,
Fire, 3rd Stone From The Sun, Remember, Are You Experienced
+ Hey Joe, Stone Free, Purple Haze, 51st Anniversary, The Wind Cries
Mary, Highway Chile

AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE -
Remaster 2

ELECTRIC LADYLAND -
Remaster 2

Re-released 1997 (MCA)

After "Voodoo Soup", the
handling of the Hendrix estate came into the hands of Jimi's family,
and they thankfully brought in Eddie Kramer to manage all new projects
on the MCA label. In 1997, the first three albums were again
re-mastered, and the original covers were re-introduced. On the UK "Are
You Experienced" the first three singles (A & B sides) were tagged
on at the end this time, and the original "Red House" was back
where it belonged (but the original "Can You See Me" was again
substituted by US "Smash Hits" version).

A new compilation titled "Experience
Hendrix" was released at the same time.

Purple Haze, Manic
Depression, Hey Joe, Love Or Confusion, May This Be Love, Don't Live
Today, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, Third Stone From The Sun, Foxy Lady,
Are You Experienced
+ Stone Free, 51st Anniversary, Highway Chile, Can You See Me (version
2), Remember, Red House (version 2)

I object to the inclusion of the singles as
bonus tracks. Jimi's first album, particularly in its European form,
was an historic masterpiece and it should really be treated with the
respect that it desreves. Look at "Revolver", "Seargent Pepper's",
"Disraeli Gears" or "Satanic Majesties Request", no bonus tracks to
detract from the artists concise work. The US version has become a 17
track compilation mixing US and UK album tracks and b-sides and it
still doesn't use the original"Red House". It is ridiculous that
"Axis" and "Ladyland" remain intact and this most important and
influential debut album has become a hotch potch collection of tracks.

As if the "Voodoo Soup" release of only two
years earlier had never
existed, this album was an ambitious idea to finally gather together
the best of the post Experience material, coming as close as possible
to the supposed double vinyl album that Jimi was working on just before
he passed away*. That is a little too ambitious really as all they had
to go on was a hand-written list or two (and not necessarily in Jimi's
hand). We know also that Jimi changed his mind very often about things.
Let it be said straight away that they messed up the
sound here with poor mastering. This won't bother people with low-end
systems or if you listen to music on your telephone but if "great
sound" is your perrogative you would be better off buying the 2014
re-releases of "Cry Of Love" and "Rainbow Bridge", which are excellent
(on CD or vinyl).
"First Rays Of The New Rising Sun" was of course one of the working
titles for his 1970 album (in August '70 however, a handwritten memo by
Jimi named it as "Straight Ahead"!). Jimi had even had the "First Rays" title in mind for an Experience album in early 1969. In
an interview just before the 1970 Isle Of
Wight festival, he said that the new album might be out in October,
followed by a double album which would be mainly instrumental! So it
would seem that a double album like this compilation was not on his
agenda.So this compilation is a sort of expanded version
of the (at the time) deleted "Cry Of Love", with all of its tracks included
(beginning and ending in the same way also), as well as some essential
numbers from two other 70's albums "Rainbow Bridge" and "War Heroes".

It effect, it shows where
Jimi went (in terms of "finished product") after "Electric Ladyland"
with his music becoming less "psychedelic" and with an earthier R&B
base. This is a terrific selection of songs but in my opinion
there are a few too many straight rock songs compiled here, which makes
for a rather unbalanced "album" as such, especially on the CD version. It must be said that all those
rock songs are in fact superb, "Freedom", "Izabella", "Night Bird
Flying, "Room Full of Mirrors", "Dolly Dagger", "Ezy Ryder","Stepping
Stone","Straight Ahead", "Earth Blues", "Astro Man" and "In From the
Storm" … hell,
that's alot of rock, talk about overkill ! The double vinyl album does
pace things in a much better way whereas the CD just runs and runs,
leaving you dizzy.
In contrast to all those rocking numbers, there are a few slower numbers: "Angel" which was
inspired by a dream about his Mother, the Dylanesque blues "My Friend"
(in fact recorded back in 1968), the spooky solo blues "Belly Button
Window", the dreamy 'Drifting" which is similar to "May
This Be Love", and the superb "title track", "Hey Baby (New
Rising Sun)". Unfortunately, the beautiful instrumental "Pali
Gap" was left off this compilation (the track had fitted in nicely as an extension
of the dreamy "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" theme on "Rainbow
Bridge"). Another calm moment on the album would have benefitted it.
Some variety is provided by the rocking instrumental "Beginning"
however (for which Mitchell gets composer credits).
A nice touch was the release at the same time of a two track CD of "Dolly
Dagger"/"Night Bird Flying" which Jimi had planned for a single
release just before he died.

The inclusion of "My Friend" (on "Cry Of Love" and "First Rays") has been criticized
by many Hendrix fans because it came from a much earlier session.
However in the "West Coast Seattle boy" booklet, it says "...When
he (Jimi) and Eddie Kramer gathered in late May and early June 1970 to
review Jimi's tape library for songs that would be mixed or overhauled
at the guitarist's newly opened Electric Lady Studios, Hendrix played
the March 1968 Sound Center recording for Kramer. Months later, in the
aftermath of Jimi's death, in September 1970, Kramer and Experience
drummer Mitch Mitchell were entrusted with preparing "Cry Of Love",...
Kramer remembered Hendrix's enthusiasm for the song and included it as
part of the album."

*It's not certain that Jimi would have
titled his fourth album "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun" (a titled
which he'd had in mind for an album since early 1969).
In a memo dating from August 1970, Jimi wrote:

Plenty of songs in his mind for the album,
so one can see that this "First Rays" album is only an approximation of
what Jimi might have actually released. He had even considered putting
out a triple album of the material to be titled "People, Hell And
Angels", though one imagines that his management and record companies
would have found that hard to market seeing that the fans had been
waiting nearly two years for a new album.

It makes you wonder if the mysterious "Electric Lady - slow" was this in fact "Pali Gap". On the tape box for that stunning instrumental was simply written "slow
part".
It could well be, considering the fact that Jimi came back to
the piece (which began as a spontaneous jam) and worked
on it with various slick overdubs. He obviously knew he had something
worthwhile there. It is, I feel, the greatest guitar instrumental ever
recorded.

Anyway, in conclusion, I would
advise any newcomer to Jimi's music to
buy the superb sounding "Cry Of Love" and "Rainbow Bridge" (re-released
on CD in 2014) plus
and old "War Heroes" album (CD or vinyl) rather than this over-stuffed
compilation with its compressed sound on CD (the vinyl was however
better).

THE COVER
The album title is quite literally illustrated (with a sunset ?) and an
overlayed Jimi seems aptly to ponder what might have been. It does have
a luxury feel to it, which matches the richness of the music within.
Nice typo also but the whole thing does look more like a good
advertisement or film poster rather than an "record sleeve" - 7/10

Here is a run-down of the last mixes that Jimi did with Eddie Kramer
and those which were done soon after he died > The fourth album.

>Jimi had also thought of using some of these songs for his "Black Gold" project.

*My ratings judge the
"albums" as a whole, even though here for example, some tracks are five
star beauties.

Having used up nearly all the
"most finished" post Experience materiel on the previous release, Eddie
Kramer was obliged to delve deeper into the archives to complete this
collection. The problem again is that the mastering is too harsh.

Like with "Jimi Hendrix :Blues" this is a collection of old
and new, with some stunning moments. One drawback is that some demos
and alternate mixes are, like on "Voodoo Soup", a bit out of place next
to the more polished re-released tracks. Messy compiling. Uneven finish.

That aside, those too young to
have known the old albums will discover some fabulous Hendrix here. The
blistering rocker from The Experience "Look Over Yonder" just
screams along as Jimi punches in some of his greatest rock licks,
rising to a shattering, whiplash climax. There are the great Experience
studio instrumentals "Tax Free" and "Midnight" which
feature some breathtaking guitar. The beautiful, Santana-like, "Pali
Gap" is one of Jimi's most moving and accomplished instrumentals. "Bleeding
Heart" takes the Elmore James' lyric into new funky rock territory,
as good as anything on "First Rays". Other treasures from the vault are
another Dylan cover in "Drifter's Escape" and the title track, a
quirky jazz experiment from Jimi, complete with a brass arrangement !

A studio version of "Power Of Soul"
by the Band Of Gypsys is also included but it is bizarre -
at the beginning, tthe mix is all out of sync with the intro guitar parts misaligned and
the opening "Yeah, yeah" vocal missing (it is present on an earlier mix
as bootlegs reveal). A better mix (by Hendrix/Kramer) appeared on Both Sides Of The Sky in 2018.(1)

Some interesting studio jams
are included, "Lover Man" (in fact two takes cleverly edited
together) opens with the intro that Jimi usually used for "Killing
Floor", then takes off into an awesome display of screeching rock
guitar. The essentially rhythmic Little Wing" (that title was
written on the tape box) in fact turns out to be "Angel" , in
an early instrumental run through with Mitch. "Sweet Angel"
(which resembles more the structure of the "Angel" that is now
on "First Rays") is another early version with overdubs, where Jimi
uses a primitive electronic rhythm box to keep the beat. "Message
To The Universe" is a raggedy but interesting live-in-studio run
through of "Message To Love" featuring Jimi's ill fated
"Woodstock" band (they had played the song at the famous festival). It
does sound out of place here though. Finally "Midnight Lightning"
is Jimi alone on guitar, tapping the beat with his foot and sounding
like an old blues master.(2)

A couple of "alternate mixes"
are also included. The early Olympic Studios mix of "Watchtower"
is really a bit too close to the "Ladyland" version to merit inclusion
on this set (it would have been better placed on the box set which
would soon appear) and an exciting remix of "The Stars That Play
With Laughing Sam's Dice" (originally the B-side of the UK single "Burning
Of The Midnight Lamp"). On that track the devastating guitar solo
is mixed up front this time, fasten your seat belt !

"Look Over Yonder","Pali Gap"
- previously on "Rainbow Bridge""Bleeding Heart", "Tax Free", "Midnight" - previously on "War
Heroes"
"Drifters Escape" - previously on "Lifelines" and in an different mix on "Loose
Ends" "The Stars That Play " - previously on "Loose
Ends" "Power Of Soul" - previously on "Crash Landing"
in a modified form and retitled "With The Power"
"South Saturn Delta" - previously on "Lifelines" in a
slightly different form

(1) An
earlier, February 1970 mix of "Power Of Soul" (that Jimi made with Bob
Hughes) appeared in 2013 on the B-side of the 7" vinyl single of
"Somewhere".
The 2018 official collection of outtakes Both Sides Of The Sky features the better mix by Kramer and Hendrix.

(2) A similar solo take od "Midnight Lightning" appeared on the bootled Freakout Blues.

*An
alternate take of Midnight Lightning with differing lyrics had appeared
previously on the bootleg Freak Out Blues (a.k.a. Ultra Rare Trax).

THE COVER
A very striking photo of Jimi on a chopper which was a nice surprise.
Jimi in fact had dreadful eyesight and was lethal in car, so I dread to
think what he would have got up to on a motorbike ! The glossy mirror
lettering is a bit too much perhaps but all in all an excellent
packaging job -
9/10

- CONCLUSION -

In retrospect, the post
"Electric Ladyland" material had again been rather unsatisfactorily
compiled. In my humble opinion the re-releasing should have featured a
straight "Cry Of Love" re-master (that came about in 2014). That album originally presented
Jimi's most finished final works that had been cherry-picked by Kramer
and Mitchell in 1971. A short CD one might say, but then so is "Axis"
and who's complaining ?) . This could have been followed by another
high quality release of these tracks :Dolly Dagger, Earth Blues, Pali Gap, Room Full of Mirrors, Look
Over Yonder, Hey Baby, Bleeding Heart, Tax Free, Stepping Stone,
Midnight, Beginning, Izabella, Drifters Escape.That would be a compilation of Experience and later Hendrix
material but would represent the remaining studio work featuring high
quality overdubs by Jimi, proving his own particular interest in the
songs.

A more complete collection of Experience
"rarities" could then have been built around The Stars That
Play(remix)/Red House(version 2)/Star Spangled Banner(studio
version)/All Along The Watchtower (Olympic mix)/Here He Comes(Lover Man)
etc. This would have still left the opportunity to put out a more
honest collection of demos and unfinished ideas, which treated as such,
would have also made an interesting album. In fact the MCA box set
which was released shortly after, effaced any opportunity to compile
another satisfying CD release of studio work.

In fact a re-release of the
deleted 80s album "Radio One" with thirteen (!) extra tracks. See my
review of that album for the original songs. Among the new additions is
the famous 1969 Lulu TV show live performance where, after performing "Voodoo
Child", Jimi aborts "Hey Joe" only to rip into a tribute to
Cream with "Sunshine Of Your Love". There are also a couple of
superb jams with Stevie Wonder on drums, one titles simply "Jammin"
and another built around the singer's hit song "I Was Made To Love
Her". Jimi puts in some great soloing here. After that jam Stevie
in fact led the band into "Ain't To Proud To Beg" which is
omitted here as it didn't come to much.
Also included from the BBC vaults are "Little Miss Lover", "Manic
Depression" (live TV appearance) and some alternate takes which are
very interesting for the improvisations on "Drivin South" and "Hear
My Train", less so for "Hey Joe" (2nd version incomplete)
and "Foxy Lady" (2nd falls apart).
The real scoop was yet another Hendrix cover of a Dylan song "Can
You Please Crawl Out Your Window ?". Needless to say, he
was a big Zimmerman fan, even his revolutionary afro hair style was
inspired by Dylan's 1966 hairdo (see "Blonde On Blonde"). Noel already
had frizzy hair so Mitch soon permed his, to complete the band's pop
image (see album cover).
This album includes lots of rare studio versions of songs from the
band's rich repertoire. All this makes for a superb double CD and it is
great source material to make oneself a 4th Experience studio album:

Killing Floor
(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
Hound Dog
Drivin" South
Can You Please Crawl Out Your WindowCatfish BluesI Was Made To Love herJammin'Day TripperGettin' My Heart Back Together

The 2010 re-release on Sony
featured an extra track : "Burning
Of The Midnight Lamp" from one of his many BBC Top Of The Pops
appearances. Unfortunately it has only a live vocal over the singles
backing track.

FAKE STEREO: this album does
not represent the original mono recordings (which
are circulating among collectors as "At The Beeb").

Fascinating trivia: this
release revealed that just before going into "Day Tripper", Jimi
toyed with the opening riff to "I Want To Tell You" (a George Harrison
song from "Revolver").

THE COVER
The guys photographed in London's Hyde Park I think, on a windy day,
making Jimi's hair part rather awkwardly. Not a shot I would have
chosen but a nice honest cover anyway - 7/10

Collector's corner

This US 9 track promotional sampler CD was distributed to the press and radio stations.

These novelty tracks featuring
The Band Of Gypsys in rehearsal for their New Years concerts at Baggys
Studios which were originally pressed in the seventies as a 7" single
titled "..and a Happy New Year", a Reprise
"business-to-business" gift (see "Alternate Sleeves"). Here, there is
also an "extended version" and a bonus,"Three Little Bears" ,
which is a long lost fun track from the Ladyland sessions (previously
seen on "War Heroes"). Completists only !

THE COVER
Jimi disguised as Santa Clause? A photomontage ? No, it is taken from a
promo shot that Jimi did for the release of "Axis" in December 1967.
What was it Jimi once sang ? "...they might even try to wrap me in
cellophane and sell me..." - 5/10